Crucifixion As Capital Punishment

By | April 17, 2019

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Located inside the Roman Colosseum, this cross was erected as a monument to the suffering of early Christians in Rome. Location: Rome, Italy. Source: (Jared I. Lenz Photography/Getty Image #830136434)

[Pictured above] The view is from below the cross looking up with the Colosseum walls surrounding it and the blue sky with puffy clouds above. The greenish color (copper) of the metal provides a nice contrast to the gray, brown and tan of the Colosseum and the dark blue of the sky. There are no people in the picture. The cross is located on the first floor where the Emperor's box used to be.

Crucifixions were a method of capital punishment that was used by the Romans although they were not the only ones. The Romans were very brutal in their “punishments.” It was not enough just to have someone put to death. They wanted them to suffer immeasurably first.  

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Roman Crucifixions. Source: (lolwot.com)

Through their crucifixions, it was the intent of the Romans to cause as much agony as possible for an extended period of time. Some people were hung on crosses with their hands and feet tied to the cross, while others were nailed to the cross. The crosses were then stood up in the ground in an upright position which caused the sufferers to die a slow miserable death. Sometimes this process would last for several days before they actually died.

Most of their victims were slaves or thieves. After their death, their bodies may or may not be taken down and buried. Many times the bodies were just left there for the animals to feed on.